Such thing as a truly "bad" horn?

[ScottM]

I took a student to a seller to purchase a new euphonium. I had called in advance and they had three horns laid aside for us. All three were the same model. The first horn played okay but was nothing spectacular. The student then played about a dozen notes on the second horn and it played terribly. He then played the third horn and the sound was a solid beautiful sound. You can guess which horn we took home. I wonder which school got saddled with the second horn. We told the seller the second horn had issues but I am pretty sure it was just put back in stock for sale with no activity on the part of the seller.
It just reinforces the fact if at all possible you need to try the instrument before you buy it, and it may help to take a musician friend along to tell you what they are hearing.
Scott M

[roweenie]

Matt, as usual, you've got your finger on the pulse like few others I know. I've heard it said more than once that this great player or that great player could "make a garden hose sound good".

With that truth being said, I will mention a York 712 tuba that I own that had a valve guide, drilled and tapped at the factory, off horizontally by over 1/8", to the point that the bore going though the main windway of that piston (#3) was effectively reduced by at least .125.




Even before it was rectified, it was (is) the best tuba I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of horns and have been playing tuba for more years than I care to mention.

Bob "who believes a great design can sometimes overcome egregiously bad construction".

(with apologies to Mr. Denney et al for stealing their byline)

[ScottM]

...and/or "I wonder how many of the next folks who ran 'the euphonium gauntlet' picked your 'terrible' one as their 'amazing' one (after the spit valve cork was replaced)."

FWIW - I checked the horn over carefully and did not find an issue with the water key. I am suspicious there was something done improperly in the manufacturing process as it played stuffy and unfocused. That is why I told the seller of the issue. I hope they fixed it but wouldn't want to bet on that. Supposedly one of their tech's had already checked the horn prior to sale.

ScottM

[toobagrowl]

IMO, there are few truly "bad" horns out there. I mean, yeah, if the tuba is poorly designed and built to begin with, then I guess you could say "it sucks". But some "crappy", beat-up tubas can play/sound good if they are properly repaired. Heck, I've tooted on several "school" tubas (mostly BBb, and some pretty beat-up) and have been surprised at how well some of them played Keep in mind there are many different tubas for different playing situations, so you cannot use the same standard for every tuba.

And I have found that as I have progressed as a player, the more tubas I like -- even some I previously didn't like.

[swillafew]

People test a melon at the store, but buy a horn without trying it first.